New Year
by talentedgemx
Summary: Gail goes to surprise Holly in San Francisco for New Year. Just fluff, really. Complete.


_Happy New Year everyone. Just some filler really. Please enjoy._

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><p>Gail hated distance.<p>

It was decided.

Well she decided long ago, actually, much before this particular journey to San Francisco but with each step she decided she hated it more.

There were just too many miles. Too many conversations held over the phone. Too many text messages and far too many video calls. With each one it just got harder and especially each time they met up; the leaving again was just excruciating. Unbearable, even. Something like a violent ripping, deep within her chest.

The countless disagreements because one of them read a text message wrong, or got the wrong end of the stick, or something. Granted the person to get it wrong was generally Gail but even so, if it wasn't for the distance it wouldn't be happening. Would it?

No. It wouldn't.

Gail sighed as she fought her way up the taxi rank and got into the first available cab, much to the displeasure of the people who were waiting before her.

"Hey!" Some woman poked her head in the door before Gail got the chance to slam it. "We were first!"

Gail frowned heavily and peered out her window at some guy who was glaring at her just as much as the woman who just yelled at her was. She rolled her eyes and leaned forwards to grab the door handle. "Yeah and I was quicker."

She pulled the door and it slammed closed, the man and woman looking absolutely mortified as Gail leaned her head toward the open window. "You snooze you lose, honey."

Gail then turned to the driver. "Plaza. Belle Vue Avenue." She leaned back in the not really comfortable seating and sighed, her arms folding tightly across her chest. When she realised they weren't moving she flashed her eyes at the driver who was looking at her in the rear view mirror. "Step on it, Pedro."

Without any further hesitation the driver sped away from the airport and the line of agitated people at the taxi rank. "In a hurry?" he asked, a little nervous at the disposition of his fare.

"Something like that," Gail mumbled, and then she reached back and grabbed the back of her neck, rubbing it a little to sooth her frayed nerves.

Today had been a nightmare. Everything was set up to surprise Holly at the Plaza, the posh location of her works New Year's celebration dinner and drinks and Gail just couldn't wait to get there. It was all going great guns until her last charge of the day caused a riot in the cells and Gail was held up trying to calm the situation down.

Gail though, felt like decking the guy herself so Dov had to take over so she could leave and grab her rucksack from home that luckily she packed the day before.

Then Chris' truck broke down. Literally it wouldn't start on their driveway and they both sat there in utter disbelief at the absolutely appalling timing. Gail was already pissed off to high heaven but luckily, after a very heated phone call Steve came round to take her to the airport.

Gail sat in silence the entire journey there, being completely bitter at how rubbish the first leg of her trip was. But at least she got to see Holly at the end of it. At least she was going to spend New Year with her. It instantly cheered Gail up and she felt a familiar tingling deep in her gut at the mere thought of it.

It was all planned; she was going to get a cab straight to Holly's apartment. She knew Holly had the day off and all she was doing till about 6pm was work on her research project. So Gail was set on arriving at the apartment at 5; queue the excitement, the kisses and the cuddles before Gail informed her girlfriend she was escorting her to her works New Year's celebration.

Holly would be made up. Gail knew she would be and it made her smile from ear to ear thinking about the look on her face, the emotion in her eyes and the tingling in her chest as she kissed her. Long and hard against her kitchen counter...

"Gail."

"What?!" She turned to look at Steve.

He pointed to the terminal. "We're here."

Gail followed the direction in which Steve was pointing and indeed saw the terminal. They had arrived at the airport. "Oh," she said and then quickly got out of Steve's car and shouldered her rucksack. She stood there next to the open door for a second or two. "Thanks for the ride."

Steve just grinned at her. "Yeah you owe me."

Gail rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Say hey to Holly for me-"

Gail slammed the door and headed for the terminal.

Once inside Gail checked the board for her departure gate. She absently licked her lips as she gripped her bag tighter at her shoulder, her bottom lip finding its way between her teeth.

The familiar feeling was back in her chest. The one that told her she would be getting on a plane soon and then reminded her that she hated flying. But then it told her that Holly would be at the end of it and suddenly she didn't mind so much.

But it also reminded her she hated this distance. Completely and utterly and it was absolutely going to have to reduce, somehow, and somehow soon. Holly needed to be back in Toronto. That was a given. Or Gail needed to be in San Francisco. She took a deep breath as she heard that echo in her head, and then she felt her heart skip a few beats.

Well one of them was going to have to happen, because being without Holly wasn't an option. Not anymore. If that meant she was going to have to spend some time in San Francisco well, then...

She coughed. Not really wanting to think about it any further and then her eyes found it. Her flight on the board.

_Delayed._

"You've got to be shitting me."

So that's why she hustled her way through arrivals. Through customs and then up through the taxi rank. She was late. Her flight was six hours late. Six hours delayed. Holly was already at the Plaza. It was now 11.22pm and she had to make it before midnight. She just _had_ to. There was no way Gail wasn't kissing her girlfriend when the fireworks went off and the ball dropped. She had come all this way just for this moment, and of course the conversation but they could figure that out tomorrow.

Tonight was for kissing and sweet caresses. Sweet nothings and of course, a lot of sex.

A helluva lot.

Gail felt her pocket start to vibrate so she dug around for her mobile phone. It was Holly.

Gail felt her heart beat just that little bit quicker. She answered it.

"Hey," she smiled, trying to play it cool.

_"Hey sweetie."_

"Happy New Year," Gail said, a smirk pulling at her lips.

_"You can't say that yet!" Holly was gobsmacked. "It's not time."_

Gail laughed. "It nearly is."

_"Nearly, Peck, being the operative word."_

Gail heard Holly sigh. "Where are you?" she asked, pretending she didn't know.

_Holly took in a breath. "We're on the roof. Ready for the fireworks."_

Gail looked at her watch. She had half hour and knew the cab ride was another fifteen minutes at least. She would make it. She grinned to herself, a warmth spreading through her chest. She would be with Holly soon.

_"Where are you?"_

"Oh, uhm," Gail's mind worked quickly. "Nearly at The Penny." That's where she told Holly she would be, after all.

_"Is everybody there?" Holly asked, and then there was a pause. "Why aren't you there yet?"_

Gail blinked. "We had a few drinks at the frat house first. Then Chris' truck wouldn't start so we waited for Steve and Traci to come over before we headed out."

_"Ah."_

Gail's eyes searched the cab, thankful Holly seemed to believe her.

_"I miss you, Gail." _

Her tone was suddenly forlorn, like she was upset and trying desperately to hold it all back. Gail immediately wanted to be there quicker. She wanted to hold her and to reassure her.

_"I wish you were here. I hate having to spend these occasions away from you."_

Gail swallowed heavily and looked at her lap. "I know," she whispered. "I hate it too." She felt uncomfortable, then. Having this conversation in the back of a cab where the driver could probably hear her.

_"I don't want to wait another six weeks to see you. It's already been six..."_

"I know," Gail said, cutting her off and then she turned her head to look out the window. She bit on her lip as she spoke. "It gets harder every time."

Gail could tell Holly was a little drunk. She was never one to hold her champagne all that well, especially after a few glasses and once Holly was stuck on a subject when drunk she didn't seem to be able to let it go.

_"I want to start the year off by kissing you. By making love to you."_

Gail's breath caught in her throat, then, like she was embarrassed that somehow, someone overheard. Even though that was ridiculous. She had to shake herself out of it.

She was envious really, at how Holly could lay it all out like that. Okay she was drunk but, all the same, Gail wished she could be half as open with her feelings. She coughed, a little. "I know. I want that too."

_"Then why can't we have it?"_

"We _can_ have it."

_"What?" Holly was instantly confused._

"I mean next year." But then of course, Gail was assuming. "Or, future years. We will see in the New Year together."

_"Just not this one," Holly replied quietly._

She was sulking. Gail could tell. She had to bite her lip again to stop herself from ruining the surprise. Gail set her eyes forward and saw The Plaza coming into view a few blocks up on the right. "Holly," she said. "Do something for me?"

_Holly coughed and cleared her throat. As if putting the thoughts away, somehow. "Anything."_

"Make sure you're looking at the fireworks when the countdown hits zero."

There was a slight pause.

_"Okay."_

"I gotta go. I love you."

_"I love you too."_

The cab started to slow and Gail pocketed her phone. She paid the driver and picked up her bag, launching it over her shoulder as she stepped from the car.

Holly leaned her forearms on the wall of the roof, cradling her sixth glass of champagne in her hands as she craned her head up to look at the fireworks. Her work colleagues were all around her, all of them counting the clock down and as it hit zero all Holly could think about was Gail, and how much she utterly, desperately missed her. Especially on occasions like these.

She meant it. This would be the last New Year she spent without her. Somehow, they would make it so they were together next year. No matter what. Holly was adamant. This would definitely be the last year.

A crowd of people swamped her then, all of them wishing her a Happy New Year. She wished it back to them of course, kissed them all on the cheek and then went back to watching the fireworks, as instructed on the phone. By the woman she loved.

They were pretty impressive actually. The fireworks. They made her smile briefly, and then she felt them.

She felt some hands press against her hips and then circle around her stomach. Pressing lovingly against her abs and Holly looked down a little as she was certain she was imagining it. Who would be touching her like that? Right now? No one, surely...

Then she felt a body press up against her back. Lips against her ear. Warm breath that made her shudder, slightly. A tingling sensation that shot along her spine as she heard the voice. An all too familiar voice that registered on her eardrum.

"Happy New Year, beautiful."

Holly spun within the grip that held her and she almost dropped her champagne, her surprise making her step back as firm hands tried to hold her close.

"Gail ?!"

Gail just smiled at her, a wide and brilliant smile that made her expression dance. Her eyes dazzling. Her lips so inviting.

"You're... I mean why are..." Holly swallowed then, and licked her lips. Her throat suddenly all kinds of dry. "I just spoke to you on the phone."

"Yeah I was downstairs," Gail said. "I thought I would make the countdown I'm sorry," she said as she shuffled, a little bit where she stood. "The queue for the elevator was a joke."

Holly just couldn't believe it. Like her brain didn't want to believe what her eyes were telling her. She just stood there like a fool, gripping onto Gail's forearms and her champagne glass dangling precariously between her thumb and forefinger.

"So I took the stairs and then when I saw you I had to stop." Gail blushed then, a bit. The heat of her mad dash up the stair well settling on her chest. The heat of how she felt when she saw Holly from behind in her figure hugging black dress and heels was like the stairwell tripled and then some. That settled somewhere else completely.

Gail licked her lips and swallowed. "You look amazing, by the way."

That was it, then. Holly crashed her lips to Gail's and kissed her like she hadn't seen her for a year. Her free hand running hungrily to the back of Gail's head and her fingers gripped at her short hair, her body erasing all space between them.

Holly kissed her like she was desperate for her, desperate to hold onto her in this moment because she didn't think she would get the chance to five minutes previously. Desperate for the contact of her girlfriend she thought was miles away, miles away and in a different country but though now somehow, was right here in front of her. Pressed against her. Flesh and bone and everything. She was desperate because she wanted her so badly, like sometimes she just didn't know how to communicate it accurately enough. But here it was and here she was, so Holly was going to make the most of it.

She kissed her with passion and a deep seated yearning. A certain kind of unrelenting lust that made this moment all the more precious. Holly felt Gail kiss her back with just as much intensity and her heart jumped at it, deep within the confines of her chest. Like it was pounding to get out and the butterflies that were there were now in her gut, fluttering away at such a speed it made her skin tingle. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as her pulse raced, her hands trembled and her legs suddenly weak at the knees.

She felt Gail's tongue in her mouth and she thought she might pass out. The moan she let go of the only thing she could hear until Gail's fingers terrorised down her spine and then someone coughed behind them bringing about a slow, tortured parting until their foreheads rested against each other and the passion seemingly for now, settled down to a low amber flame.

"I'm so glad you're here," Holly said, her eyes still closed and her breath lingering in the small valley of air between them.

Gail grinned at the familiar words. "I never want to be anywhere else," she replied, her voice disappearing into a sigh that the exploding fireworks swallowed whole.

Holly smiled then, feeling so happy she was almost stupid with it. The woman she loved in her arms on New Year's Eve. Or New Year's Day as it now was. It was the best feeling ever.

She opened her eyes to be greeted by Gail's amazing blues, her voice no louder than a confined whisper. "Happy New Year," she finally returned. Absolutely certain it would be the best year ever.


End file.
